Italy 1982 – Redemption, Rossi, and the Rebirth of a Nation Summary In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team, Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney revisit Italy’s unforgettable 1982 World Cup triumph — a story of struggle, scandal, and ultimate redemption. From a stuttering group stage and a nation divided, to Paolo Rossi’s remarkable resurgence and Marco Tardelli’s iconic goal celebration, this is the tale of how Enzo Bearzot’s Azzurri turned adversity into glory. The hosts explore how Italy’s vi...

Brazil 1982: The Day the Music Died What if the greatest football team of all time never actually won? Brazil’s 1982 side dazzled the world with artistry and flair — only to fall at the hands of Italy. Four decades on, we ask: can beauty alone define greatness, or does history only remember winners? Summary In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team, hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney revisit one of football’s most beloved yet heartbreaking stories — Brazil at the 1982 World Cup. Under the g...

Peru 1975–1978: The Red Sash of Glory How did Peru’s golden generation of the 1970s capture the imagination of world football—and why does their story still feel unfinished? Summary In this episode, Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney explore the remarkable rise of Peru’s national team during their golden era of the 1970s. From Copa América glory in 1975 to memorable World Cup campaigns in 1970 and 1978, the conversation examines how a small South American nation briefly stood among the world’s elit...

Aston Villa 1987–1990: Graham Taylor’s Revival of a Sleeping Giant How did Graham Taylor transform Aston Villa from second-tier strugglers into a competitive First Division force in just a few seasons? Episode Summary In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team, hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney are joined by lifelong Villa fan Stuart Murray to celebrate Graham Taylor’s impact at Aston Villa between 1987 and 1990. Taking charge after Villa’s relegation, Taylor rebuilt the club with a mix of ...

Derby County 2007–2008 & Friends: The Art of Failure What happens when a Premier League season becomes a nightmare—and how do other clubs’ struggles help us understand the fine margins between survival and disaster? Summary In this episode, Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney and joined by regular Phil Craig to revisit one of the most infamous campaigns in Premier League history: Derby County’s disastrous 2007–08 season. With just one win all year, the Rams set unwanted records as they slid back...

Derby County 1970–1973: Brian Clough’s Rams Rise to Glory How did Brian Clough transform Derby County from also-rans into champions of England in just three seasons? Summary In this episode, Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney revisit the rise of Derby County under the charismatic and controversial Brian Clough. They explore how Clough, alongside Peter Taylor, transformed Derby from a middling side into league champions, guided by smart recruitment, ruthless man-management, and fearless ambition. Th...

Castel di Sangro 1995–1998: The Miracle of Serie B How did a tiny mountain village of 5,000 people produce one of the most incredible underdog stories in football history? Episode Summary In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team, hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney tell the astonishing story of Castel di Sangro, the little Italian club that climbed from obscurity to reach Serie B in the mid-1990s. Founded decades earlier by a village priest to bring the community together, Castel di Sangro ...

Crystal Palace 1987–1991: Coppell, Wright & Bright, and the Cup Final Run How did Steve Coppell’s Crystal Palace rise from the Second Division to the 1990 FA Cup final and create one of the most iconic strike partnerships in English football? Episode Summary In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team, hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney are joined by London regular Stuart Burgess to revisit the brilliance of Crystal Palace between 1987 and 1991. Guided by Steve Coppell, Palace rebuilt wit...

Episode Summary In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team, hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney kick off Season 4 by revisiting one of the most transformative tournaments in modern football history: Germany at the 2006 World Cup. With the nation in crisis after years of decline, Klinsmann returned from his Californian beach life to reinvent the German national team. Embracing sports science, fitness, psychology, and attacking football, he turned a struggling, dour side into a vibrant and fear...

By Far The Greatest Team – Season 3 Finale: Promotion, Relegation... or Redemption? After almost 40 teams, countless debates, and one mighty spreadsheet of footballing history, Graham and Jamie return to the boardroom of greatness for the Season 3 Finale — and this time, they’re not alone. Joined by returning favourites Phil Craig and Declan Clark, the team reopens the case files on every single squad ranked this season. From the peaks of Real Madrid 1954–60 and Santos 1960–65, to cult curios...

Was Bobby Robson’s England side of 1990 the team that changed everything? In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team, Graham and Jamie are joined by former MIrror Sports reporter and fan-on-the-ground Steve Double to relive the emotional rollercoaster of Italia ’90 — England’s iconic run to the World Cup semi-finals. Through a mix of personal stories, cultural reflections, and football insight, we explore what made this tournament – and this team – so unforgettable. From David Platt’s last-...

Was Alan Curbishley’s Charlton Athletic one of English football’s great overachievers? This week on By Far The Greatest Team, hosts Graham and Jamie are joined by London football expert Stuart Burgess to unpack the remarkable rise—and quiet brilliance—of Charlton Athletic under Alan Curbishley. From financial chaos and exile from The Valley to Premier League stability and European dreams, the episode explores how Curbishley’s calm leadership turned Charlton into a model of consistency. We rev...

Was Chelsea on the verge of greatness before the Abramovich era? In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team, we travel back to Stamford Bridge at the turn of the millennium, exploring a Chelsea side full of flair, ambition, and continental influence—before the billions arrived. From FA Cup glory to a European semi-final and the Premier League’s first all-foreign XI, we chart the club’s evolution during one of its most intriguing transitional periods. Join us as we unpack Chelsea’s rise from ...

No New Episode This Week – But We’re Not Done Yet! Graham and Jamie are missing in action — ambushed by the day job and temporarily subbed off by the work/life gods. So, sadly, no new episode this week. But don’t worry — By Far The Greatest Team returns next Thursday, 22nd May, for the big Season 3 run-in, featuring: Gianluca Vialli’s silverware-stacking ChelseaCurbishley’s flying Charlton AthleticSteve Double on England at Italia ’90Our end-of-season Greatness Promotion & Relegation Spec...

Where do The Entertainers — Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle United — Rank in the scale of greatness? Was Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle United the greatest team never to win the Premier League? In this episode, Graham and Jamie and joined by lifelong Newcastle Unite fan, Simon Brunskill to relive the highs, heartbreaks, and head-spinning football of The Entertainers era — a team that captured imaginations and nearly conquered English football. In the early 1990s, Newcastle United were a club in crisis. Bu...

Was Santos FC in the 1960s the greatest club side the world has ever seen? In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team, Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney explore the golden era of Santos FC, diving deep into the brilliance of Pelé, the genius of coach Lula, and the revolutionary impact the club had on world football between 1960 and 1966. Together, they discuss: • The tactical brilliance of Santos and the importance of the Paulista Championship • The club’s dominance in Copa Libertadores and Inter...

Were Austria’s Wunderteam of the 1930s one of football’s first truly great international sides? In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team, hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney are joined by Austrian football expert Benedikt Osl to uncover the story of Austria’s Wunderteam (1930–1934) — one of the most stylish and innovative teams of the early 20th century. They explore: • The visionary leadership of Hugo Meisl and the artistry of Matthias Sindelar • The Scottish influences on Austrian footbal...

Were Sampdoria the Greatest One-Off Champions of Serie A? In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team, hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney and joined by Phil Craig to relive the golden era of Sampdoria between 1988 and 1992—a time when the Genovese club shook up Italian football. From the legendary strike partnership of Gianluca Vialli and Roberto Mancini to Vujadin Boškov’s masterful leadership, this episode explores how a colourful, stylish team rose to dominate Serie A and reach the summit ...

Were Kilmarnock the Greatest Scottish Champions of the 1960s? In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team, Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney and joined by David Sneddon, an absolute authority of all matters Kilmarnock, to explore Kilmarnock’s historic 1964-65 season, when they stunned Scottish football by winning their first-ever and only top-flight title. The discussion delves into the challenges of competing against Glasgow’s giants, the tactical brilliance behind their triumph, and the signific...

Was Oxford United’s 1980s rise the most remarkable in English football? From lower-league obscurity to top-flight triumph, Oxford United’s journey in the 1980s was one of football’s most dramatic transformations. But was it a true fairytale, or was it built on bold ambition? In this episode, Graham, Jamie, and guest Scott Walkinshaw uncover the club’s incredible rise, their Milk Cup victory, and the key figures who made it all possible. In this episode: 🔹 How Jim Smith built a promotion-winni...